Sunday, February 12, 2012

Flatbread is simply unleavened bread and almost every culture has some type. Examples of soft flatbread are Pita (Greece, Arabia) and Tortilla (Mexico); crispy would be the Hebrew Matzo; however, it is not unusual to see the soft types baked or fried to compliment a recipe. Is Flatbread healthier? While it is less fattening, it contains very little in nutrition value; unless it has been made from a whole grain such as wheat.

While Flatbreads are often used for sandwich making, baking or frying pieces into "chips" or crackers makes for a tasty and quick snack. Herbs, spices and cheeses can be incorporated into the dough giving extra flavor for eating alone, or along with a topping (softened cheese, salsa, dips).

New York Flatbreads
Website:http://www.sbamerica.com/NYFlats/NYFlats_Product_line.htm

New York Flatbreads come in many flavors: Sesame Seed, Garlic, Pumpernickel, Everything, Honey Cinnamon and Roasted Vegetable to name a few. They're an all natural ingredient, extra thin and crispy flatbread made from wheat flour. Each flatbread is cholesterol free, 1.5 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbs and 50 calories; the size is equal to about 3-4 average boxed crackers.

Eaten alone, these flatbreads are full of flavor. They tend to crack easily if using a spread that is thick such as regular cream cheese, cold butter or cheese spread. Either allow the spread to come to room temperature before using, or use an already cremier version such as dips, whipped cream cheese, whipped butter or one of the softer versions of cheese spreads available in the market.

Town House Flatbread Crips

Website: http://www.kelloggs.com/en_US/home.html

This product is part of the Kelloggs family and made by those little elves that live in a tree, the Keebler Elves. The label on the box is a bit redundant, "Flatbread Crisps Crackers"; yes, flatbread becomes crisp when oven baked and has the consistency of crackers; just like Matzo. These however are denser and harder, so expect your mouth to be doing some exercise when eating them.

Six crackers are cholesterol free, 2 grams of fat,12 grams of carbs and 70 calories; they contain wheat and rice flours, and soy products. There are two flavors available: Italian Herb and Sea Salt-Olive Oil. I tried the Italian Herb - using regular cream cheese, the cracker held together while spreading the cheese; the herb flavor came through strongly and balanced out well with the cream cheese.

Overall I enjoyed both products; determining which to use depends on if I'm looking for thin and crispy, or dense and crunchy; also if I'm using any spreads or dips. Try both and see what fits your taste buds.